Electric lighting fixture



A. E. LEINEN ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE v Filed April 5, 1940 "Feb. 10, 1942.

A. P. LEINEN ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet? Filed April 5, 1940 I t J I l P- ELL J Feb. 10, 1942. A. P. LEI NEN ELECTRIC LIGH ING FIX TURE Filed April 5/ 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 [XMWKT yaw,

Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURE Arthur P. Leinen, Chicago, Ill-., assignor to'Benjamin Electric Mfg. Company, Des Plaines, 111., a corporation 'of Illinois Application April 5, 1940, Serial No. 327,941

8 Claims.

My invention relates to an electric lighting fixture. More particularly, it relates to electric lighting fixtures for use with fluorescent lamps.

While the fixtures shown are for use with fluorescent lamps,'the construction shown might be modified for other types of lamps. In fixtures for use with fluorescent lamps, in addition to the lamp holders, special auxiliaries, compensators, and starter switches are included, all of which require proper and secure mountings. Because of the number of circuit wire connections,.considerable work in wiring and installation is necessary. starter switches are well known in this art and are not described in detail.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a fixture in which the sockets and control apparatus may be definitely and securely fixed in position, made easy of access after the fixture has been in service, for inspection or repair purposes, and made easy to install. For this purpose the apparatus is mounted on the reflector and arranged so that the reflector element can be dropped below and loosely hinged to the cover and support member, or entirely disconnected therefrom.

Further objects and advantages of the inven- These auxiliaries, compensators, and

tion will be apparent from the description and I claims.

In the drawings in which my invention is disclosed- Figure 1 is an axial, sectional view of a fixture substantially on the line l-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a transverse, vertical section substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse section showing another form of fixture, the section being substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, axial section substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the reflector dis connected from the cover; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 6, the construction shown therein comprises a housing or cover member I or an inverted trough-like shape,

a plurality of trough-like reflector members 2 mounted in said cover, a plurality of sockets 3 and starter sockets 20. mounted in fixed relation to the reflector means, each socket having a mounting base portion 4 above the reflector means and lamp eng'aging contacts '10! engaging the conlamp, bulb I within said astu1- an auxiliary-{and compem.

drical in shape and having a coating of fluorescent material lining theinside of the bulb which is activated by the current flowing through the gas-filled bulb.

' In wiring, one lead 8 of the compensator l is connected to the starter terminal 9 of socket 3a, and the other lead I0 to the terminal I I of socket 3- as shown in Fig. 6. The auxiliary leads I2 and I3 are connected to the socket terminals I4 and I5, as indicated. The auxiliary lead I6 is connected to terminals I! on the starter sockets 3a. The line wire I8 is connected to. the auxiliary terminal I9 and the neutral line .wire 20 is connected to the socket terminal I1.-

In order to provide for convenience in assembling and wiring, the sockets v3 and 3a, reflectors 2', auxiliaries 6 and compensators l are all mounted as a unit which is provided with pivotal means for connecting it to the cover member I so that the unit may be swung into and out of closing relation with respect to the cover whereby the sockets, auxiliaries, and compensators, accessible from the upper side of the mounting panel, are made readily available for wiring and inspection.

The pivotal mounting means shown comprise a pair of links 2I pivotally mounted at 22 on brackets 23 supported on the cover member I and pivotally and detachably secured at 24 to the L-shapedend members 25 to which the reflectors 2 are secured. Stops 26 on the brackets 23 are provided ior limiting the swinging movementv of these links 2 I. Suitable supporting and conductor housing conduits 2611,01 other suitable suspension means 26b for the fitting, are provided where desired.

To secure the swinging unit and to release it for' swinging movement away from the cover member I, a plurality of screws 21 are provided which extend through the .fianges of the ends 25 of the reflector members and are threaded into connection 22 with the cover, and the unit swings 7 about its pivotal connection at with the links ts 2|. 1: a is desired to'rein'ove completely; the unit v p 1:

from the cover member, it is a simple matter to unhook the members 25 from the hooks 30.

The reflector element may thus be entirely unhooked from the cover element and taken to a bench, or set on the floor of the room where the fixture is located, for making the wiring connections between lamp holders andcontrol apparatus either during installation or for repair work after it has been in service.

In making a new installation, after the reflector element has had its wiring connections completed, one man can carry it to the place where it is to be installed and. hook it to the cover'element which has already been attached to its support andinto which the service supply wires from the outlet box above have been introduced. It is then a simple matter for a single workman, unassisted, to splice the supply wires protruding into the cover to the completed wirreflector 3| is a U-shaped channel member having depressed portions 32 in which the bases 4 of the lamp sockets are seated. The swinging links 2| are pivotally and detachably connected with the detachable unit by means of L-shaped apertured brackets 33 secured to the upper part of the reflector member 3|. The detachable unit is held in position with respect to the cover member by means of thumb nuts 34 threaded on the ends of screws 35 supported by brackets 36 secured to the cover member. The compensator l is secured to the mounting panel portion of the reflector by means of bolts 31 extending through the mounting portion of the reflector and through the base portion of the compensator. The auxiliary 6 is secured to the reflector by means of bolts 38. The entire unit including the cover, the reflector, and associated apparatus, as shown in Fig. 4, may bemounted flush in a recess 39 by means of screws 40 extending through the brackets 36 and cover 3la.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired; therefore, that the invention be limited only by the I prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fixture construction comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in fixed relation to said reflector means, each socket having lamp-engaging contacts for engaging the contacts of an elongated lamp bulb within said trough-like reflector means and extending longitudinally thereof, control apparatus for controlling the lamp circuit mounted as a unit with and accessible from above said reflector means, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above-said reflector means and cooperating with said reflector means to house said apparatus, said reflector means, lamp sockets, and apparatus being mounted as a unit, means for supporting said cover in elevated pos tirn ,independently of said unit, and pivctal means connecting said unit and cover and supporting said unit from said cover and having an axis,

extending longitudinally of said reflector whereby the unit may be swung into and out of clcsing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets and apparatus are readily accessible for wiring and inspection.

2. A fixture construction comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in flxed relation to said reflector means, each socket having lamp-engaging contacts for engaging the contacts of an elongated lamp bulb within said trough-like reflector means and extending longitudinally thereof, control apparatus for controlling the lamp circuit mounted as a v unit with and accessible from above said reflector means, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above said reflector means and cooperating with said reflector means to house said apparatus, said reflector means, lamp sockets, and apparatus being mounted as a unit, means for supporting said cover in elevated position independently of said unit, and pivotal means connecting said unit and cover and supporting said unit from said cover and having an axis extending longitudinally of said reflector whereby the unit may be swung into and out of closing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets and apparatus are readily accessible for wiring and inspection, said cover extending downwardly along the sides of said trough-like reflector means for housing them.

3. A fixture construction comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in fixed relation to said reflector means, each socket having lamp-engaging contacts for engaging'the contacts of an elongated lamp bulb within said trough-like reflector means and extending longitudinally thereof, control apparatus for controlling the lamp circuit mounted as a unit with and accessible from above said reflector means, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above said reflector means and cooperating with said reflector means to house said apparatus, said reflector means, lamp sockets, and apparatus being mounted as a unit, means for supporting said cover in elevated position independently of said unit, and pivotal means connecting said unit and cover and supporting said unit from said cover and having an axis extending longitudinally of said reflector whereby the unit may be swung into and out of closing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets and apparatus are readily accessible for for wiring and inspection, said unit having a hook connection with respect to said cover whereby the unit may be readily connected and disconnected and whereby said sockets and control apparatus may be wired with respect to each other while the unit is disconnected and may thereafter be hooked into the supporting cover and swung into operative position.

4. A fixture construction comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in flxed relation to said reflector means. each socket having lamp-engaging contacts for engaging the contacts of an elongated lamp bulb within said trough-like reflector means and-extending longitudinally thereof, control apparatus for controlling the lamp circuit mounted as a unit with and accessible from above said reflector means, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above said reflector means and cooperating with said reflector means to house said apparatus, said reflector means, lamp sockets, and apparatus being mounted as a unit, means for supporting said cover in elevated position independently of said unit, and pivotal means said unit from said cover and having an axis extending longitudinally of said reflector whereby the unit may be swung into and out of closing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets and apparatus are readily accessible for wiring and inspection, said pivotal connecting means comprising a link pivotally connected at one end with respect to said unit and pivotally connected at its other end with respect to said cover. p

5. A fixture construction comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in fixed relation to said reflector means, each socket having lamp-engaging contacts for engaging-the contacts of an elongated lamp bul-b within said trough-like reflector means and extending longitudinally thereof, control apparatus for controlling the lamp circuit mounted reflector means, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above said reflector means and cooperating with said reflector means to house said apparatus, said reflector means, lamp whereby the unit may be swung into and out oiclosing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets and apparatus are readily accessible for wiring and inspection, said pivotal con-' necting means comprising a link having a pivotal hook connection at one end with respect to said unit and pivotally connected at its other end with respect to said cover and whereby said sockets and control apparatus may be wired with respect to each otherwhile the unit is disconnected and may thereafter be hooked into the supporting cover and swung into operative position.

6. A fixture construction -comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in fixed relation to said reflector means. each socket having lamp-engaging contacts for engaging the contacts of an elongated lamp bulb within said trough-like reflector means and extending longitudinally thereof, control apparatus for controlling the lamp circuit mounted as a unit with and accessible from above said reflector means, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above said reflector means and cooper-- ating with said reflector means to house said apparatus, said reflector means, lamp sockets, and apparatus being mounted as a unit, means for supporting said cover in elevated .position as a unit with and accessible from above said independently of saidunit, and pivotal meansconnecting said unitand cover and supporting said unit from said cover and having an axis extending longitudinally of said reflector whereby the unit may be swung into and out of closing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets and apparatus are readily accessible for wiring and inspection, said pivotal connecting means comprising a plurality of links each pivotally connected at one end with respect to said unit and pivotally connected at its other end with respect to said cover.

7. A fixture construction comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in fixed relation to said reflector means, each socket having lamp-engaging contacts for engaging the contacts of an elongated lamp bulb within said trough-like reflector means and extending longitudinally thereof, control apparatus for controlling the lamp circuit mounted as a unit with and accessible from above said reflector means, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above said reflector means and cooperating with said reflector means to house said apparatus,

said reflector means, lamp sockets, and appa-- ratus being mounted as a unit, means for supporting said coverin elevated position independently of said unit, and pivotal means connecting said unit and cover and supporting said unit from said cover and having an axis extending longitudinally of said reflector whereby the unit may be swung into and out of closing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets and apparatus are readily accessible for wiring and inspection, said reflector meanshaving its upper portion shaped to provide a panel on which said sockets and apparatus are mounted.

8. A fixture construction comprising an inverted trough-like reflector means, lamp sockets mounted in fixed relation to said reflector means, each socket having lamp-engaging contacts ,for engaging the contacts of an elongated lamp bulb within said trough-like reflector means and extending longitudinally thereof, an inverted trough-like supporting cover above said reflector means, said reflector means and lamp sockets being mounted as a unit, means for supporting said cover in elevated position independently of said unit, and pivotal means connecting said unit and cover and supporting said unit from said cover and. having an axis extending longitudinallyof said reflector whereby the unit. may be swung into and out of closing relation with respect to said cover whereby said sockets are readily accessible for wiring and inspection.

, ARTHUR P. LEINEN. 

